Category: Australian News

Greens Environment Spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young has re-iterated the Greens call for the Australian Government to push for a global ban on the trade of wildlife, after the Agriculture Minister’s comments today on wildlife wet markets.
Senator Hanson-Young said:
“The Agriculture Minister and the PM can wax lyrical about an investigation into wildlife wet markets all they like, but if wildlife continue to be traded for consumption and other purposes, a health risk will remain.
“The science is well established on the link between wildlife consumption and the transfer of zoonotic diseases to humans.
“When wildlife is traded, it brings animals in contact with humans and other species in horrendous conditions leading to the spread of disease.
“The Australian Government has an opportunity to really lead on this issue and help end the cruelty and reduce the risk of another pandemic like coronavirus in the future.
“Right now it seems they’re not really serious about leading a global effort to reduce the risks for disease to emerge and spread.
“Just last week the major parties voted against my Senate motion calling on the government to advocate for a global ban. They should both explain why they wouldn’t support it and why they won’t back the hundreds of organisations and millions of people across the world pleading for a global ban on wildlife trade.”

Australian Greens Disability Rights spokesperson Senator Jordon Steele-John has called on Government Services Minister Stuart Robert to accept the Federal Court ruling that NDIS participants can use their funds for sex work.
Steele-John also said Minister Robert’s proposal to change NDIS rules, stopping participants from making claims for sex services, rather than accept the outcome of the court case were “a new low”.
“The suggestion that granting disabled people their basic human right to sexual expression will somehow destabilise the financial sustainability of the NDIS is ridiculous,” Steele-John said.
“The NDIS was designed to give people choice and control over the supports they need to live a good life; any attempt to curtail the rights of individual participants by the Minister is a direct attempt to undermine the whole intention of the scheme.
“I am very concerned that Minister Robert continues to escalate this matter, despite a Federal Court ruling against him.
“The desexualisation of disabled people is a key factor in a lot of the abuse situations we end up in and it is disappointing to see the Minister responsible for the NDIS continuing to push that as the official government line.
“Disabled people shouldn’t be denied access to their basic human rights just because this government can’t get their head around the fact that disabled people have sex!”

Young people will be guaranteed a job, secure income, and free education under a new Greens recovery plan to restart the economy and build ‘a better normal’ after the coronavirus economic shock.
The vision for a debt-financed recovery reaffirms the government’s role in responding to the crisis, and rejects the austerity approaches offered by the Liberal and Labor parties, charting a course for a government-led recovery that extends Australia’s world-class social services, instead of slashing funding for education, healthcare, and the environment.
The Invest to Recover plan is part of the Green New Deal approach announced by Greens Leader Adam Bandt earlier in the year. Key elements of the plan will:

• create 870,000 jobs in the private and public sectors through projects that will build new energy infrastructure, 500,000 new public and community homes, expand TAFE and universities, save the arts and creative sectors, expand the care-based sectors and restore axed public service jobs;
• renew and reshape the economy with $60bn in government support to revive manufacturing and  grow new processing, manufacturing and pharmaceutical jobs in these industries that have been neglected or decimated in the era of Liberal/Labor free trade agreements, mining booms & neoliberal industry policy;
• get Australia running on 100% renewable energy with $59bn investment in sustainable infrastructure
• guarantee everyone under 30 either a free place at uni or TAFE, an apprenticeship or traineeship, or a secure job working on nation building, planet saving projects that will build our nation, restore our environment, and help care for Australians;
• save Australia’s hard-hit arts, entertainment and creative industry with a $2.3bn Create Australia recovery package, that will put artists in every school and library in the country, and directly fund festivals, films and live performances;
• establish a $6.7bn Nature Fund to clean up our natural environment and create 13,000 jobs.

Through the Next Gen Guarantee, the plan lays the groundwork to ensure young people are supported through the crisis with jobs, education and income. History shows recessions disproportionately affect young people, with under-employment remaining persistently higher for years, even as the general population recovers. With the first post-corona crisis ABS data showing nearly 4 in 10 young people now without a job or enough hours of work, a youth-focused jobs plan is essential to avoid a lost generation.
Learning from the success of post-war recovery efforts, a debt-funded Invest to Recover plan is needed because austerity will worsen existing economic inequality and set back economic recovery efforts.
The plan also borrows from the successful ‘New Deal’ programs of the 1930s in the US and post-depression initiatives in Australia, which delivered long-lasting benefits to the respective countries, such as the National Parks system in the US and Australia’s beachside pools, which are still used to this day.
The plan calls for the current JobSeeker rate of $1115 per fortnight to be retained and by blocking any attempts to halve the payment, it ensures no Australian would be forced below the poverty line.
The ongoing job and social programs will be funded by measures such as winding back unsustainable tax breaks to the fossil fuel sector and not proceeding with Stages 2 and 3 of income tax cuts, with the balance of the investments to be debt-funded. The cost of the jobs guarantee would reduce as private sector jobs growth picks up.
The additional debt required to support the recovery plan is not only affordable, but a good investment in our nation’s future. With current net debt estimated to be around 29%, the Greens estimate that by borrowing to fund these investments over the next 10 year period, net debt would remain below 44%, well below the post-corona OECD average of around 95%. The Federal Government committed to spend over $200b in about six months as part of its coronavirus response; under the ‘Invest to Recover’ plan, net debt would increase by about $250-300b, spread over a 10 year period, to be subsequently repaid through a stronger economy. By way of further comparison, gross debt in Australia peaked after WWII at around 120%, but was back at previous levels in a decade because the money was invested in rebuilding.
Greens Leader Adam Bandt said:
“Government must lead the way out of this crisis by investing in our future.”
“Coronavirus is smashing into an economy already hit hard by inequality and the climate emergency, presenting us with the biggest economic crisis our country has ever seen.”
“Depression-era job numbers demand a Depression-era response. That means not shying away from debt, but using it to invest in building a cleaner, fairer Australia.”
“We can’t cut our way out of this crisis. The government and big corporations are calling for more cuts – to company taxes, to public spending, to workers’ rights – but that is a recipe for disaster. We must invest to recover.”
“The economy is not in hibernation, it is in an induced coma, and a lot more support and rehabilitation will be needed to get the patient walking again. More rounds of government investment will be needed to avoid a lost generation of young people who now face joblessness, debt and the climate emergency.”
“Our Jobs and Income Guarantee offers people security and decent work while setting Australia up for the future.”
“Young people have been smashed by the corona crisis. If we don’t offer every young person a job, a study place or a decent income, we risk creating a lost generation.”
“Without public investment now, young people at the start of their working lives will be consigned to years of unemployment or lower wages, something that could damage them for life. People starting their careers now will be $35,000 worse off than their peers and without substantial action, they’ll only get left further behind.”
“We can’t leave young people the burden of dealing with the coronavirus and the climate crisis as well. Under the Greens’ plan, every young person who wants a decent job or a free study place will be given one or they’ll get income support they can actually live on. Young people will be key to getting this country back on its feet.”
“Our ‘Invest to Recover’ plan will jump-start the economy with green investment, grow new industries and create hundreds of thousands of high paid jobs, but until the private sector picks up again, government will also act as a ‘safety-net’ employer by guaranteeing young people decent jobs on nation-building projects that tackle the climate and inequality crises and make Australia a more creative and caring place.”
“If you don’t like the coronavirus, you’re going to hate the climate crisis. The climate crisis still looms and will result in decades of corona-style restrictions and deprivation unless we act right now.”
“Our recovery plan doesn’t simply get us ‘back to normal’, it builds a better normal. The Green New Deal puts people at the centre of the recovery effort, stops people falling through the cracks and reshapes an economy that works for people.”
“After WWII, Australia had record high debt of 120% of GDP, but it only took a decade to get back to normal levels because the money was invested in rebuilding. We won’t need to borrow anywhere near as much to invest our way out of this downturn, tackle the climate emergency and make Australia more equal.”
Greens Environment Spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said:
“From the bushfires to yearning to reconnect with nature after the COVID lockdown, Australian’s are concerned about our environment more than ever before.
“The Greens plan for getting young people into jobs that rehabilitate bushfire devastated areas, protect native wildlife and restore our iconic rivers is a win win. It’s good for the economy, it tackles youth unemployment and its good for our environment.”
Greens Community Services Spokesperson Senator Rachel Siewert said:
“We need to make sure we are looking after people as we come out of this pandemic, I can’t see how anybody can think that it is okay to return the Jobseeker Payment to the old rate of $40 a day which will condemn unemployed Australians to poverty and will act as a barrier to employment.
“We can and should choose to support people who are not in work, particularly when we know very well that we are in an economic downturn and it will be difficult for many people to find work That is why we need to keep the rate of Jobseeker for good.”
Greens Industry Spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi said:
“We have to invest now to rebuild Australian manufacturing. This will create decent well-paid jobs, ensure economic resilience and centre environmental sustainability. Embracing this future will go hand in hand with reviving our public TAFEs which have been decimated.
“High-quality, well-funded and fee-free higher education will be critical to delivering a Green New Deal. The research, training and skills fundamental to this fair and just future can only happen through universal access to university and TAFE.”
Greens Spokesperson for Women Senator Larissa Waters said:
“The gender inequalities in the Australian jobs market have been turbo-charged by the COVID crisis and the Government’s lack of specific focus on supporting women to remain in employment.
“Now more than ever the women of Australia need the gender pay gap closed, free childcare retained, valuing of the unpaid care work they disproportionately perform, and better pay for workers in feminised industries – many of whom have kept us safe during COVID.”

Australian Greens Disability Rights spokesperson Senator Jordon Steele-John has described the death of Ann-Marie Smith as horrific, but not unique.
“When I learnt about the tragic death of Ann-Marie Smith over the weekend it filled me with a mixture of grief and anger, in equal measures. Violence, abuse, exploitation and neglect is the experience of so many disabled people in this country,” Steele-John said.
“It’s clear that the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission has a lot of questions to answer and I will be personally following up with them today regarding Ann-Marie’s case.
“In the meantime, they must ensure that independent welfare checks are carried out on every other person who interacted with this support worker whilst they worked for Integrity Care South Australia.
“There must also be questions for the State Government over their role in the reduction of funding to community visitor programs, which has resulted in so many people being left alone in the community without anyone checking that they are ok.
“We all know that there are hundreds, if not thousands, of disabled people around Australia that are suffering as Ann-Marie did right now.
“Her death cannot be put down simply to the actions of just one individual, allowing the service provider Integrity Care SA and others to distance themselves from the horrible reality of Ann-Marie’s death. All those who knew, or should have known, must be held to account.
“Ann-Marie’s case is why the Royal Commission is so important to bring the reality of the situations that disabled people find themselves in every single day to light and ensure that the perpetrators of these crimes are brought to justice.”

Australian Greens Education spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has said that all states and territories have put the federal government to shame over its lack of support for international students.
Last night, New South Wales became the last state to release a package providing support to international students during COVID-19. The federal government continues to deny international students access to federal income support, and has not set up any financial assistance fund or program for students. Students across the country are going hungry and are at risk of homelessness.
Senator Faruqi said:
“This is nothing less than a complete failure of leadership and humanity from the Morrison government.
“It’s extraordinary that the federal government has completely abrogated its responsibility for higher education, and left it up to the states and territories to support the half a million international students currently studying in Australia.
“With NSW stepping up, all states and territories are now putting the Commonwealth to shame over its treatment of international students.
“There are hundreds of thousands of students who have lost work and would be eligible for the JobKeeper and JobSeeker payments were it not for their visa status. They are doing it incredibly tough.
“The state-level packages are welcome, but they won’t be enough to get international students through COVID-19. Packages also vary from state to state. We need a federal level commitment and national coordination to make sure that every single student gets the support they need to get through this crisis,” she said.

The National Cabinet met today to further discuss Australia’s current COVID-19 response, easing restrictions in the coming months, helping Australians prepare to go back to work in a COVID-Safe environment and getting the economy moving again.
The Chief Medical Officer, Professor Brendan Murphy, provided an update on the measures underway, the latest data and medical advice in relation to COVID-19.
There have been over 7,000 confirmed cases in Australia and sadly 98 people have died. There are now less than 1,000 active cases in Australia, and over the past week, daily infection rates have remained low. Testing remains high, with more than 950,000 tests undertaken in Australia.
We need to continue to have the right controls in place to test more people, trace those who test positive and respond to local outbreaks when they occur. These are precedent conditions to enable Australia to relax baseline restrictions and enable Australians to live and work in a COVID-19 safe economy.
National Cabinet again encouraged Australians to download the COVIDSafe app to ensure that we can protect Australians and continue to ease baseline restrictions.
More than 5.7 million Australians have already downloaded the COVIDSafe app. This is an enormous achievement but more is needed.
National Cabinet noted that the Governor-General extended the human biosecurity emergency period for three months from 17 June 2020 to 17 September 2020.
This will enable the Minister for Health to continue to exercise the emergency powers under the Commonwealth Biosecurity Act to prevent or control the spread of COVID-19.
The Chief Medical Officer, Professor Brendan Murphy, also provided an update on epidemiological modelling and the rare conditions – paediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome (PMIS-TS) and Kawasaki disease. Professor Murphy advised that there were no cases of PMIS-TS or Kawasaki disease related to COVID-19 in Australia.
National Cabinet also received briefings from Treasury Secretary Steven Kennedy, Reserve Bank Governor Philip Lowe and the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority Chair Wayne Byers on the economic and financial situation.
National Cabinet will meet again on Friday 29 May 2020.
Mental Health
National Cabinet endorsed the Mental Health and Wellbeing Pandemic Plan developed by the National Mental Health Commission, in conjunction with teams from New South Wales and Victoria.
The Plan acknowledges the significant impact that COVID-19 has had on the mental health and wellbeing of so many Australians, including mental health impacts from economic downturn through loss of income and job losses.
We have seen these impacts in increased calls for help to our crisis and support services, with Beyond Blue, Lifeline and Kids Helpline together receiving over 130,000 contacts in the last month, an increase of between 25 and 56 per cent for each service, compared with the same time last year.
The Mental Health and Wellbeing Pandemic Plan has three core objectives to:

1. Meet the mental health and wellbeing needs of all Australians to reduce the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in the short and long term;
2. Outline seven key principles and 10 key priorities to inform the jurisdictions as they respond to the challenges of COVID-19 during the response and recovery from the pandemic; and
3. Define governance, coordination and implementation requirements across jurisdictions to facilitate informed planning and decision making

National Cabinet noted that the Commonwealth will invest $48.1 million in the plan focused on:

• Improving data and research with more immediate monitoring and modelling of mental health impact of COVID-19, including boosting national capability in monitoring, anticipating and reacting to mental health impacts of the pandemic; expanding the national self-harm and suicide monitoring systems; and investment in the National Suicide Prevention Research Fund;
• Supporting vulnerable groups, by supporting services accessible in homes, workplaces, aged care, schools and other community sites – with a specific focus on vulnerable groups – aged care, carers and indigenous mental health support; and
• Better coordination and communications – more connectivity through improved service linkage and coordination, including a national mental health communication campaign to manage anxiety and encourage mental wellbeing and systems to guide the onward care of people contacting federal digital and telephone support services by connecting them to appropriate local services that provide outreach care in the home.

National Cabinet further noted Victoria’s investment of $19.5 million, announced today, to deliver mental health reforms and additional resources, staff and programs, as more people seek support as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
All governments agreed the need for each jurisdiction to ensure Australians receive the mental health services and support they require at this time, and in the coming phases of recovery and rebuilding.
Strong mental health will be a foundation stone as we move ahead, not just to productivity and the economy, but to family wellbeing, social cohesion, community functioning and national resilience.
Elective Surgery
All governments have been monitoring public and private hospital activity, and have reviewed the current situation in light of the restoration of elective surgeries and found:

• The spread of the COVID-19 outbreak has slowed, with new cases decreasing nationally since the restoration of elective surgeries;
• There is currently still unused hospital capacity in all jurisdictions across both public and private sectors, and harm to patients can be reduced by taking further steps to restore elective surgery; and
• PPE supplies need to be carefully managed and while there is a need to continue to actively monitor this and manage availability, supply lines are firming.

Given the current situation and Australia’s response to COVID-19, it is now considered safe to reopen elective surgery activity in an incremental and cautious way, while maintaining necessary ICU capacity for any localised outbreaks of COVID-19.
National Cabinet agreed to reopen elective surgery, by removing restrictions and restoring hospital activity involving 3 stages.
It is a decision of each jurisdiction to determine which stage applies to its circumstances, the timeline for implementation and the level of normal surgical activity is safely restored in line with the agreed principles. The stages are:
Stage 1 – up to 50 per cent of normal surgical activity levels (including reportable and non-reportable);
Stage 2 – up to 75 per cent of normal surgical activity levels (including reportable and non-reportable);
Stage 3 – up to 100 per cent of normal surgical activity levels (including reportable and non-reportable) or as close to normal activity levels as is safely possible.
Private Hospitals should mirror their own state’s approach to surgical activity unless agreed otherwise with the relevant state.
The level of elective surgery will be reviewed monthly from May 2020 by the Australian Health Ministers’ Advisory Council (AHMAC), to ensure that it remains safe and sustainable, and in line with the agreed principles.
Remote Communities
National Cabinet agreed to a framework to inform decisions around lifting remote area travel restrictions as we move through the three-step plan for a COVIDSafe Australia.
This will help remote communities and governments manage risk and respond to cases early. It also recognises that the different circumstances across communities will require different approaches.
Our key concern is ensuring that appropriate arrangements are in place to minimise the risks of transmission and manage any cases or outbreaks that may occur. The restrictions in place in remote communities have followed requests from communities, organisations and leaders, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders.
National Cabinet acknowledged the success with no reported cases of COVID-19 among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in remote communities.

The Morrison Government will provide an additional $10 million to improve COVID-19 hygiene measures in non-government schools that plan to have 50 per cent of their students back in the classroom by June 1.
Minister for Education Dan Tehan said schools could use the extra funding for soap, hand sanitiser or extra cleaning.
“Our Government has taken a consistent position to follow the expert medical advice and the expert medical advice has been consistent that schools are safe for students and teachers with the right protocols in place,” Mr Tehan said.
“National Cabinet has recognised the importance of an education being delivered by a teacher in a classroom so as we continue to flatten the curve, all students and teachers are moving back to the classroom.
“This is excellent news for our children and their education and social wellbeing. It is particularly good news for vulnerable students because the evidence suggests they suffer most from being disconnected from school.
“Washing hands with soap and water or hand sanitiser is an important part of practicing good hygiene that helps slow the spread of the coronavirus.
“Supporting schools to adopt stronger hygiene protocols will help ensure the safety of teachers.
“The Australian Government has been working with industry to bolster domestic production of soap and hand sanitiser and ensuring supplies to essential services like schools.
“This includes working closely with states and territories, which are responsible for the provision of hand sanitiser and soap at public schools.”

Australia’s aerial firefighting capability has today received an annual $11 million boost to ensure additional aircraft are available for the 2020-21 and future bushfire seasons.
Minister for Emergency Management David Littleproud said the additional funding, bringing the annual Australian Government investment to $26 million, would increase aerial firefighting capacity across the country helping the States and Territories to prepare for summer.
“The $11 million boost to the national aerial firefighting fleet was announced in January by Prime Minister Scott Morrison, and comes on top of the $15 million we already deliver each year for aerial firefighting,” Minister Littleproud said.
“In previous fire seasons, these aircraft have been a comforting sight for people living in and around the bush.
“We recognise the vital role that aerial firefighting plays in protecting communities, and it’s their integration with the hard work of firefighters on the ground, along with a well-prepared community, that makes the difference.
“Most importantly, this investment by the Australian Government will save lives and property.”
The additional funding to the National Aerial Firefighting Centre will increase the length of existing lease arrangements and/or the number of contract opportunities available to aircraft owners/operators.
These aircraft, contracted on behalf of state and territory governments, are supplemented by additional state owned, and state contracted aircraft and other aircraft hired to meet peak demand across Australia.
The Australian Government is committed to working with states and territories to reduce the impacts of bushfires, and ensure the availability of resources to combat natural disasters.

The Australian Greens have joined an international delegation signing onto a letter calling for extensive debt forgiveness from international financial institutions, including the IMF and World Bank, for International Development Association countries. The letter was initiated by U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders and Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, and signatories include Jeremy Corbyn, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Yanis Varoufakis.
Senator Mehreen Faruqi and Adam Bandt MP are the sole Australian signatories to this unprecedented letter.
Senator Mehreen Faruqi, the Greens spokesperson for International Aid and Development, said:
“The shackles of debt have crippled poorer countries for far too long. I proudly join many other leaders across the world calling for extensive debt forgiveness from international financial institutions.
“Many of these countries simply do not have the public health systems, nor the wealth, required to survive a deadly pandemic. They will need all the resources they can hang onto in order to get through to the other side of this.
“The Australian government should be urging institutions including the World Bank and the IMF to cancel developing countries’ debt and help put them on a track to get through COVID-19 with minimal loss of life and living standards.
“Though this pandemic has been devastating, it has also forced us to think in different ways about how the world should work. Governments, including Australia’s, should seize this opportunity to reset their thinking about debt, obligation and global poverty.
“We should approach debt through the lenses of human rights and social justice, and with historical context never far from our minds. Let’s be frank: the cascading legacies of brutal colonialism have locked in the poverty and economic underdevelopment which mean that it is highly unlikely that the debt of many countries will ever be fully paid off. And with the impacts of climate change to be felt most acutely in the Global South, we cannot let developing countries’ debt hold them back any longer,” she said.
Adam Bandt MP, Leader of the Australian Greens, said:
“The Australian Greens are proud to be adding our voice to calls from over 300 politicians, including Bernie Sanders and Ilhan Omar, to cancel debt for the world’s poorest countries.
“The COVID-19 health and economic crisis is entrenching global income inequality. But right now we have the chance to transform our world to be fairer and more equal,” he said.

Today the Greens will introduce a bill to empower Sport Australia to fund the sports clubs whose applications they recommended under the Community Sport Infrastructure Grant Program, but were not funded by then-Minister McKenzie.
The Australian Sports Commission Amendment (Ensuring a Level Playing Field) Bill 2020 will correct the injustice of the Coalitions sports rorts scheme.
Senator Janet Rice, Greens spokesperson for Sport said:
“The sports rorts scandal isn’t over. While the Prime Minister is trying his best to duck and weave about his role in this saga, there are still hundreds of sports clubs around Australia who deserved funding but haven’t received a cent.
“The clubs that were recommended for funding by Sports Australia were robbed so that the Coalition could repurpose tax-payer money as a slush fund to buy elections. The Greens Level Playing Field Bill will correct this injustice for those community sports clubs.
“Many of the sports clubs have lost trust in government and felt utterly cheated by the Coalition’s corrupt process.
“This Bill won’t fix the Coalition’s failure of transparency or their active subversion of our democracy. But it will make a real difference to these clubs and communities.
“During the COVID-19 crisis, sports clubs are now in more need of support. Most of the projects are shovel-ready, and this Bill will benefit these community sports groups by providing much-needed investment stimulus in the face of the pandemic.”
“The Senate inquiry into the Administration of Sports Grants received answers yesterday that showed the Minister lacked independent authority to issue grants, instead ‘piggybacking’ on Sport Australia’s authority to do so. My Bill ensures that the Sports Minister would not have the power to direct the Commission on this new round of funding.
“As the Deputy Chair of the inquiry, I am eager to hear from Senator McKenzie. I  urge her to accept the invitation to appear before the committee in a hearing next month.”